When Greg and I first sat down with our SBDC advisor (shoutout to Rudel!), he told us something that stuck: if we wanted our business to succeed, we’d have to connect with people in our community. We didn’t have a built-in network — just two transplanted Southerners trying to find our footing in Oregon.
That conversation has come up more than once since Greg’s job moved us here from Portland. Even there, we never built much of a social circle. We left our roots in Louisiana behind and got so focused on adjusting to our new lives that we never really looked up. But we want things to be different this time — not just for our business, but for us.
We’ll never build real connections if we keep everything filtered through ChatGPT (no offense, ChatGPT). It’s been helpful, but it can’t tell our story the way we can. So this post is my first real attempt at showing who we are — not just as a business, but as people. Hopefully, some of it resonates.
Who We Are
We’re both Virgos (five days apart) and relocated Southerners who still feel a bit out of place despite five years in Oregon. We both work full-time jobs alongside running the business, and our household is… lively. Two dogs, three cats, and a few “basement cats” who drop in to eat and nap in the shelter Greg set up for them. All rescues, because neither of us can turn away an animal in need. Our house is usually messy, and we’re usually tired — but we’re still each other’s favorite people after twenty years of marriage.
We have a Gen Z daughter we adore, even when we don’t entirely understand her world. We love music of all kinds, but hard rock has our hearts. Concerts are our main “date nights,” and our living room walls tell the story: one side covered in autographs and band photos, the other in snapshots of us doing things we never dreamed possible.
Our Roots and Our Why
When we first married, we were flat broke — like “borrow $12 to get married” broke. We couldn’t afford a car, much less a wedding. When we finally scraped together enough for a beat-up car, we couldn’t even find a notary nearby to sign the title. Those experiences stuck with us.
Moving to Oregon gave us breathing room and the chance to live authentically without so much fear of judgment. We miss home sometimes, but every visit reminds us why we left. The only thing I still miss daily is real Cajun food — if I want it, I have to make it myself.
When we started our business, I wanted to help people who might be in the same position we once were — struggling with access, transportation, or cost barriers. I had technically been a notary for three years but had never notarized anything. Once I brushed up on the training, I dove into what notaries really do. That’s how I discovered loan signings — a way to support people through big, life-changing decisions.
I also learned that in some states, notaries can officiate weddings. That’s not the case here in Oregon, but it inspired me to get ordained so I could help couples who might not be able to afford a traditional ceremony.
Our Hopes Moving Forward
Starting this business has been about more than income — it’s about belonging. We’re excited to build real connections here in Tillamook County and beyond, both through our services and by contributing to our community. We want our work to matter, to help someone who needs help, and to build a life we can look back on with pride.
Thanks for being part of that journey.
